Vexing Temptation
by DeathAngel2015
Summary: The lust and love between them was evident. But the war between them made their meetings forbidden. How could it be possible for such enemies to fall in love? Will they betray their allies to quench their lust for each other? Or will they continue to fight until one is left standing? After all, it is hard to resist temptation when one's desire is right in front of them.
1. Chapter 1

The overwhelming urge to touch her was insane. What would he give to touch her beautiful skin? Hell, every time they'd fight, he'd stoop to any level just to even get remotely close to her. Even if it meant almost costing his life. The twenty-one year old sighed to himself as he listened to his twin sister ramble on about how much it was his fault that another precious gem of power was stolen from them at the last minute. He loved his sister. He truly did. But sometimes he wished that mouth of hers would just stay shut for a good five minutes. Tuning his sister's voice out, the man starts to daydream again about that one princess that has crystal blue hair. He would kill to nuzzle his face in her soft strands. He was only able to get a whiff or two in when he was fighting her up close and personal. The lingering scent of jasmine and vanilla sugar would enter his nostrils and fill his mind. He had to keep up with his façade so that he wouldn't give into his desire to hug the princess to his body so that he could continue to smell that sweet scent. He got his ass kicked that day, but it was worth it.

"Mephisto?! Are you even listening to me?!" The man with reddish violet hair was abruptly pulled from his fantasy by hearing his older sibling's shrill voice. The man sighed as he turned to face his twin with a bored expression on his face.

"You said what now Prax?" The princess of Zatterra stomped her foot and huffed in annoyance. Why can't her idiot brother listen to her for once?

"You fool! You didn't hear a word I said?!" The younger sibling sighed inwardly. He already accepted the fact that they lost to the princesses for the day and that they'll get another chance to do so. There still are a lot of Oracle Gems to find after all.

"Okay so I wasn't listening Praxina. What were you talking about again?" Mephisto wished that his sister would just somehow write it down and give him what she said earlier so he can get back to dreaming about a certain dark skinned blunette princess. The elder sibling grunted and rolled her eyes. She stood in front of the man and glared at him for not paying any attention to her.

"You idiot! I was trying to tell you about the next plan to get back at the princesses!" Knowing that their lives and their freedom are at stake if they fail their dark lord again, the twenty-one year old sat up and gave his sibling his full attention.

"What evil plan do you have in mind now?" Praxina smirked as she walked near the entrance of the cave.

"Instead of having to attack directly or indirectly, how about attacking them personally?" This piqued Mephisto's interest.

"What do you mean by that?" His twin turned around with a pondering look.

"Remember when we trapped that one boy that Talia was attracted to at one point?" He searched his memory to find the face of the so-called boy that they attacked before. After recalling the face, the younger twin's blood began to boil. The most beautiful princess he ever met was attracted to a mere commoner? As if!

"Yeah, I remember Kale or Lyle or whatever the hell his name is. Why?" Praxina chuckled.

"Remember how upset and hurt Talia was when she found out we tricked her with a fake and captured the real Kyle?" A twinge of guilt shot through Mephisto like an arrow. Thinking back on how he toyed with her feelings made him realize how much of an ass he was. At first, it was amusing to see her off her guard and seeing her slip up when she was supposed to be the strongest of the team. But after falling hard for her, he realized how fucked up it was to make her cry. If only he could reverse time to undo it all.

"Yeah? So?" For some reason, Mephisto didn't like where this plan was going.

"Instead of using a mere earthling to cause friction between the princesses, how about you do the work from the inside?" The younger sibling's insides twisted into a knot. And not in a good way.

"By that, you mean disguise myself as an earthling and make one of them fall for me?" Praxina blinked. Her brother may be an idiot, but he made good plans in the past that actually got them an Oracle Gem.

"Not exactly what I had in mind, but that's brilliant! That way, you can find out their personal weaknesses! And maybe find their spell books and whatnot! It's a fool proof plan!" He had to admit, his sister's plan is vile and genius. There was just one problem.

"There's no way that any of them would be attracted to me. Iris has that one guy at the smoothie bar, Auriana goes out with any guy she has her attention on. Or at least that one clumsy dude at the museum. And Talia wouldn't even look my way after what we did with Kori!" Praxina flipped her hair in annoyance and with pride.

"Then you need to charm that princess of Xeris. You know how she is when it comes to affection. Her guard is rock solid. You need to be the one to tear it down." As much as he dreams of even getting remotely close to Talia, Mephisto knew he couldn't do that. He'd get his ass kicked and his heart crushed. He ran his fingers through his short hair and sighed.

"And how long do we have to pull this off? Gramorr would hand our asses to us if we fail again."

"Let me worry about that. I already know she's as stubborn as a fool—"

"I think you mean 'stubborn as a mule' sis." Blue eyes rolled without caring.

"Whatever! Earth's phrases and words are so confusing! Anyway, we'll set our plan into motion after we figure out what to do for your disguise. I'll do some recon to see what earth's fashion culture seems to be the norm." After that conversation ended, Praxina teleported away into the city. The young prince sighed as he dragged his gloved hands down his face. Of all the evil things he must do, he had to go after the princess he longs for? The same princess that wouldn't give him the time of day? The same princess that relentlessly whoops his ass every time they're in battle? The same princess that nearly killed him and his sister with a powerful incantation from her elder sibling's medallion? The same princess that he fell for the very moment his face came close to her blade at the end of her wand? The same princess he wants to hold? To feel? To touch? To _kiss_?

"There's no way this would work." Even though Mephisto would go through with this plan, he still felt conflicted. Sure, he'd get the benefit of being close to Talia, but at what cost? Him getting killed by the dark skinned princess? Or getting his heart torn to pieces when she finds out he was only using her? The young prince groaned in confusion.

"Is this what they call 'guilt'? If it is, it's working." But if Mephisto doesn't go through with this, he and his sister would pay dearly for their lives. He didn't mind if something happened to him. But if anything happened to his sister…

"Okay! I'm back with a few ideas. Let's go over how exactly this will go out." Pushing aside his feelings, the man sits down with his twin to discuss how he'll infiltrate the princess' hideout while he shoves the lovely face of his princess in the back of his mind.

* * *

"One, two! Alright, that's enough practice for the day." A beautiful young woman breathed out while wiping the sweat off of her forehead. She stretched her arms to the ceiling and stood on her toes to fully stretch her muscles. Delicate fingers ran through silky mocha strands to soothe out some of the tangles. The young woman's smoldering gold eyes looked to two other young women that were bending over their knees in exhaustion. The twenty-year old with bright red hair sighed in relief.

"Finally! I can't wait for a nice hot bath!" The girl with long blonde hair nodded in agreement. They loved their friend dearly but sometimes she tends to be harsh when it comes to practicing. For fighting against the evil twins or for preparing for their next concert. The eldest woman of the group smiled and shrugged.

"Just make sure you don't take up too much time Auriana. You still have that date with Matt tonight." The cute redheaded woman gasped in realization. If she didn't hurry up, she'd be late! Again!

"I totally forgot! I need to hurry up and shower!" Auriana rushed out of the room and raced upstairs. Both women left in the room chuckled at their friend's energetic self.

"Anywho, I'm actually impressed with your improvement Iris. It took you a while to get the dance steps down for this routine." The younger princess of Xeris took a swig of her water bottle and plopped onto the couch. She felt her muscles tense up after sighing in exhaustion. Maybe she should tone down some of the work a bit in both dance and battle practice sessions. Her friend on the other hand fell back and laid across the plush carpet.

"You really worked us this time Talia. But at least we got it down packed for the concert coming up." Both young women laughed when they saw a purple furry animal imitate their dance routine, only to trip and fall flat on its face.

"That was nice Amaru!" Iris sat up and took the purple cat in her arms and snuggled him. The tiny fur ball smiled as he was rubbing his sore head. The Ephedian princess stood up and grabbed her cell phone.

"Gonna stay out all night with Nat again?" A small blush graced the blonde's face.

"Well, I'm actually I'm gonna be staying over with him tonight…" Talia raised an eyebrow as she tried to piece together of why Iris was so embarrassed about staying over her boyfriend's apartment. She's done it before. Why all of a sudden is she now embarrassed to stay there for the night?

"I don't get it. Iris, you've stayed over at his place plenty of times. Why are you getting all flustered for…?" And then it hit her like a ton of bricks. A deep red hue soon rushed to Talia's cheeks as she looked away from her friend. She cleared her throat to attempt to soothe out this very awkward moment. The brunette wrapped her small towel around her neck and picked up her water bottle. She waved for Iris to follow her out of the room.

"Well, ahem, I hope you two have a good time. But please be careful. Your magic can be exposed under the circumstances." Talia felt a bit embarrassed that she had to warn her best friend about accidentally exposing her magic during intimacy. Especially when she herself has yet to experience it.

"A—Alright. I'll see you later!" Iris puts down Amaru and raced upstairs to take a shower and to pack her clothes. Talia sighed to herself as she walked into the kitchen to pull out some left over pizza. The tiny purple fur ball hopped onto the counter and tried to convince the dark skinned princess to give him a slice. The twenty-one year old chuckled as she gave Amaru a small slice of the cold pizza.

"Only one Amaru. Remember, you're going with Aunt Ellen to that cooking convention. Don't wanna get a tummy ache now do you?" Amaru giggled while stuffing his face. Talia grabbed a plate from the cabinet and puts the pizza in the microwave. Hairs stood on the back of the brunette's neck when she heard thundering footsteps make their way down the stairs.

"I'm late again! See you guys later! Bye!" Suddenly, the front door slammed shut. Honey-colored eyes rolled with amusement after the young princess of Volta rushed out to meet her date. The microwave _dinged_ to signify that the few slices of pizza were fully reheated. She had to admit, Earth's food was very tasty compared to the food she had back home on Ephedia. Talia's ears perked up when she heard the doorbell ring. Carefully blowing the hot good to make sure she doesn't burn her tongue, the princess walked to the door and opened it. In front of the door revealed a handsome twenty-year old man wearing a crisp white dress shirt and black skinny jeans. He held a bouquet of purple flowers that curled to the pollen.

"Iris! Nat's here! Hurry up and get down here already!" Talia steps back and allowed Iris' boyfriend inside.

"Nice to see you too Talia. How's practice coming along?" He honestly couldn't wait for their next concert. Nathaniel's been a fan of LoliRock ever since the band was created. He'd always make sure the girls would get discounts of his famous smoothies and have promotional events at his shop. Both heads turned when they heard footsteps descending from the stairs. The man's eyes widened as he saw Iris wearing a strapless black dress with a fluorescent pink belt at her middle. Bright pink high heels with black bows tied at the ankles helped show off those long legs. Blonde hair was put up in a ponytail, but cascaded many curls at the end. The pendant that allows the Ephedian princess to transform gracefully into her magical attire hung in front of her cleavage. Black heart-shaped earrings accented with pink diamonds dangled from the blonde's ear and sparkled in the light. Her lips were painted with a bright fuchsia matt lipstick and look very kissable. What really drew Nathaniel in were her bright blue eyes that popped from the dark blue eyeshadow. The man with brown hair could've sworn that all the air left his lungs when he took a breath. Blood rushed to Nathaniel's face when he realized he was staring at Iris.

"Ahem…You look beautiful tonight." It was now the twenty-year old woman's turn to blush like crazy. Nathaniel gave his princess the flowers she adored so much. Iris took them and went into the living room to put the bouquet in the new vase her Aunt Ellen bought last week. She gently grabbed her boyfriend's arm and they walked out the door. The woman with blonde hair turned her head back to her best friend.

"See you later Talia!" The dark skinned princess waved while trying to finish eating her food.

"Don't forget what I told you!" If Iris would blush any harder, she'd be mistaken for a tomato. Nathaniel noticed Iris' whiplash but didn't question her. He was as nervous about tonight as she was. He led his girlfriend to his car he recently bought from his part-time job and opened the door. She sat in the front seat and buckled her seat belt. After Nathaniel copied Iris, he revved up the engine and drove off into the bright-light city. After waving the couple off and finishing the pizza crust, Talia shut the door to walk back inside only to find Aunt Ellen with a huge suitcase.

"Time to go already?" The elder woman with strawberry red hair smiled as she held little Amaru in her arm. The tiny cat rubbed his stomach in anticipation for all the delicious food he could scarf down as soon as he gets to the convention.

"Alright. Let's go Amaru." The elder woman gave Talia a tight hug. "Are you sure you'll be okay dear?" The Xerin princess nodded.

"Relax Aunt Ellen. I'll be fine. My books will be here to keep me company." Iris' aunt smiled and hugged the young woman again.

"You have your spare key?" The girl nodded. "Alright. If anything happens, call me right away and I'll get back as fast as I can." Talia knew that she wouldn't call the woman that took her and Auriana in if an emergency were to happen. Especially if the "emergency" was just an ambush attack created by two evil twins.

"Will do. Have fun!" Talia watched as the elder woman threw her suitcase in the back of her Jeep and fastened up Amaru. She drove slowly out of the driveway and into the opposite direction of the well-lit city known as Sunny Bay. Talia sighed to herself as she closed the door behind her. The woman with mocha strands for hair walked into the kitchen and grabbed an apple from the fridge. She rinsed it off and took a bite. Despite finally having peace and quiet in the house, a sharp pang of loneliness went through her stomach.

She tried to shake off the feeling, but Talia's mind started to take over. Sure she was glad that her two best friends have boyfriends and are on dates, but what about her? Is there a kind of guy that would look at her the same way? Talia shook her head at the thought. She sworn off boys from this planet until her mission to save her kingdom was completed. And she didn't want to go through the same thing again after what happened with Kyle. Sure he was nice and had good intentions, but it was just creepy of how he kept pursuing her despite the fact that she rejected him plenty of times. After what happened with the twins that day, she decided to give this "relationship" thing a try with him. Talia really did try with Kyle but it seemed like it was just only a spark of interest. Kyle was cute, but he and she have absolutely nothing in common. The first few dates were awkward as hell and she just couldn't see them going anywhere. She broke it off with Kyle and he seemed to have taken it well. That is, until he kept showing up to give her flowers when she repeatedly said that it was over. A haunting chill ran down the brunette's spine. Never again did she want to go through with that. Besides, there's already a guy that she wanted to go out with—

"No way in hell. Nope!" Talia tried to break her train of thought by shaking her head a bit harder. She couldn't believe she would think that! Of all people to be attracted to, it had to be _him_?

There were plenty of earth boys to be looking at! Hell, there might even be a few cute ones back home on Ephedia! But to think that evil clumsy oaf is actually _attractive_? Talia must have lost her damn mind. That idiot Mephisto caused her and the others way too many problems with his sister. Every time the girls needed to help someone, those two would just get in the way! Sure, Mephisto was handsome with that burgundy hair and piercing green eyes and those taunting fangs, but he was evil! He and his twin sister were the ones that tricked her into thinking that the real Kyle was working for them! They stole her sister's medallion and taunted her so much to the point where she cried. They took the only connection she had with her sister and destroyed the medallion in front of her very eyes. If it weren't for the fact that Auriana took the jewel at the last minute, Talia wouldn't have known that her sister was still alive. The Xerin princess wouldn't forgive them for all the shit they've done to her. An exhausting sigh escaped Talia's lips. But no matter how much she wants to hate Mephisto, something was preventing her to do so. The princess was getting aggravated with herself and raced upstairs to take a shower. Hot running water helped soothe her muscles as she continued to scrub her skin.

* * *

 _"You sure you want me to keep my hands off of you princess?" The man behind her whispered hotly in her ear. His bare hands slowly traveled down her body. She felt her body get hotter and hotter. Was it from the hot water from the showerhead? Or was it from his calloused hands? His naked frame pressed up against hers as his hand went lower and lower. Honey-colored eyes saw his arm tattered with scars wrap around her middle, holding the princess gently to her lover. She gasped when she felt his fingers slowly touch her most sensitive place of her body. The man with soaked burgundy hair closed his eyes as he pressed his face further into the woman's neck. He gently pierced his fangs into her dark skin, chuckling to himself when he heard the princess moan his name. He felt her body tense up when his fingers played her like a violin. A slow but sweet rhythm made the brunette gasp and breathe deeply. The man behind her was no better when he tried to suppress a moan when he touched her. It was as if he was touching the silk in all of Ephedia. He held her tighter to keep her from collapsing while he continued to stroke her to the melody of her moans. He wanted her to sing for him and only him. The princess' body locked up as his fingers pulsated faster and faster. In an instant, she saw nothing but stars as her body spasmed with pleasure._

* * *

"What the fuck?!" Talia screamed as she fell on her ass in the bathtub. Her eyes were wide as she tried to gasp for air. Did…did she seriously fantasize _Mephisto_ fondling her in the _shower_? Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she kept thinking about it. Talia quickly turned the knob and had the showerhead spew out ice cold water. She tried to calm herself down, but her heart was still racing. The throbbing between her legs wouldn't stop. The princess of Xeris stood up on her very weak legs that almost gave out from her recent orgasm. She turned off the water and grabbed her soft dark green towel. She sat on the toilet and tried to think about something else.

"I need a drink." The dark skinned beauty quickly dried off and blow-dried her hair. She went back into her room and looked for a decent outfit to wear. Since both of her friends decided to go out, why couldn't she? Besides, she needs to get out to clear her mind. After rummaging through her closet and drawers, Talia came to a decision to wear a black strapless shirt with white sequins decorating the neckline and a pair of bright white shorts. She puts on a pair of shiny black stilettos and found her purse that can fit a book or two. For the final touch, she adds on dark red and burnt orange eyeshadow to make her eyes pop. The brunette carefully applied black lip liner around her lips and colored in dark red lipstick to give off a mysterious shadow effect. Talia made sure her Xeris bracelet was on first before she puts on her simple gold hoops. Pleased with herself, the twenty-one year old stashed her wallet, an old spell book, and her phone into her purse and trotted downstairs.

Talia made sure to turn off the lights before stepping outside. She locked the door, but just to be safe, she extended her hand and sealed every window and door from the outside with her magic. The princess then looked around the neighborhood to see if there was anyone coming out of their house or coming down the street so that she wouldn't get spotted using her magic. Seeing that the coast was clear, Talia extended her hand and created a crystal board in the shape of a diamond. She stepped on the crystal and used her magic to fly the board in the air. Walking was fine once in a while, but walking was definitely not an option for these heels. She'd call a taxi for when she gets back home. Talia soared through the air, enjoying the wind blowing through her mocha locks. Once she spotted the familiar neon-lighted sign, the dark skinned beauty descended into a secluded alley. The crystal board disappeared and the twenty-one year old went into her favorite book store. The bell chime rang and alerted the clerk that a customer came in. An elder man with olive skin smiled when he saw his favorite customer.

"Evening Talia!" The young woman smiled with pearly whites.

"Good evening Mr. Adam! How have you been?" The older man smiled back and walked from behind the counter.

"Enjoying life as we speak! I'm sure you're here for downstairs right?" Talia nodded as they came to a stairwell. They went down the stairs and came to a steel door. Adam opened the barrier and escorted the princess inside. Soulful jazz music filled the room along with many customers either sitting at the bar, tables, pool tables, or on the dance floor. The live band was different from last time.

"Enjoy yourself Talia! I can't wait to see you guys perform soon!" Talia waved goodbye to the store clerk and walked further inside. She was soon escorted to a reserved seat at the bar. The woman had to admit, the perks of being a well-known band member had its advantages with extra goodies. Talia puts her purse on the bar and takes out her book. Luckily the staff are friendly to everyone and looks out the creeps that shouldn't belong in the club.

Talia adores this place. Anytime she wanted to read a good book and have a drink at the same time, she'd come to the bookstore's underground club. She's been to several clubs with her friends as the band, but huge parties aren't her thing. Plus, she actually liked some of earth's genre of music. She hasn't heard anything like this back on Ephedia. The intelligent princess was so absorbed into her book, she didn't realize that the bartender was right in front of her, ready to take her order.

"Miss?" A voice that sent delicious shivers down Talia's spine forced her to look to the source. Honey-colored orbs saw a seriously handsome man. His hair bright red like the princess of Volta and pulled into a low ponytail. His skin was like precious porcelain that the princess of Xeris was aching to touch. But the scars that adorned his skin were just begging to be traced by her itchy fingers. The opened ruby dress shirt and black wife beater under it was snug against the man's body. She could practically see how ripped he was! But the one thing that stood out to Talia the most was the man's eyes. They were a lustrous green, as if they were beckoning to follow their every whim. The slight slit in the middle reminded Talia of the serpent that sweet-talked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. The man chuckled and that brought Talia out of her stupor. She blushed with absolute embarrassment after realizing she was staring at the man like an idiot. Xeris' young princess cleared her throat while trying to calm her beating organ in her chest.

"I apologize for staring at you like that. It was…out of character for me." The red head waved off the brunette's stammering and held out his hand. When the man that's dripping with sin smiled, Talia could've sworn she saw fangs for a brief second.

"Maybe we should start over. The name's Loki. But I'd prefer it if you call me 'Meph' and I'll be your bartender for the night."

* * *

 **HIIIIIYAAAAA! GODDAMN IT'S BEEN A LONG WHILE! Well, this is a new story from scratch that will definitely be hard to write because as you can tell from an italicized paragraph above, this is my first story as a sin. That's right! My first sin! Believe me, it's a hell of a lot harder to think about and to write than to read it. Seriously. I spent two days on that paragraph alone. Also, it was hard trying to come up with the last few paragraphs because I had no idea how to end it. It's like I knew what my idea was, it was just hard to fully write it down without making it sound off. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new fic! I honestly ADORE LoliRock! Who knew that this show was so fucking good?! Now all it needs is a line of merchandise that I'll saw my arm and leg off for! (Just kidding lol...maybe not...) Also, I was inspired to get this going because of this FUCKING AMAZING WRITER named KireiNoTsuki. I swear, she's like a fucking GENIUS when it comes to sinning! You should really look on her profile and read her stories! And if she's reading this, just know that the story has just begun ;) . Anyway, let me know if I have any errors with spelling or grammar! I already started with the second chapter for this story, now I just need to keep writing! Also, I fucking turn twenty in two days. TWO. FUCKING. DAYS. I have to admit, I'm pretty fucking proud of myself for making it this far. For those that don't know and/or read my commentary at the bottom of some stories, for the past four, maybe five years, I've been struggling so hard with depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation. I've had problems with my mother for so long and I almost took my life on Thanksgiving Day in 2015. I've gone to therapy, (still am here on campus), and I'm really trying hard to cope properly. I've been through so much shit and I'm amazed at how I'm still going. With that aside, I'm also EXCITED AS FUCK FOR KINGDOM HEARTS 2.8 BEING RELEASED TODAY! The problem though is that my PS4 won't arrive in time for the game D'x . Which FUCKING SUCKS because I know that there will be MAJOR spoilers. Hell, people already posted walkthroughs and boss fights of the game when it had yet to be officially released. At least I'm getting my pre-ordered copy though. Now that I'm done with my emotional story and rambling, I hope you guys enjoy this! Again, let me know what errors I made in the reviews! Happy reading everyone! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Honey-colored orbs absorbed the beauty of this man's face. His smile was enchanting but also sent a delicious chill down her spine. The owner of the honey-colored eyes then looked down at the hand that was in front of her face. Realizing that she was staring, the dark skinned princess cleared her throat and gracefully took the bartender's hands in hers. Warmth danced on their skin as both the bartender and the princess of Xeris smiled at each other.

"My name's Talia. It's nice to meet you Loki." Blood rushed to the Xerin's face when she felt the bartender's soft lips delicately kiss her palm. She had to suppress a shudder of pleasure when she felt his fangs prick her skin. The man with bright red hair looked up and smiled as he released the pop star's hand. Loki cracked his knuckles and grabbed a damp rag to clean his workspace.

"'Talia' is a gorgeous name." Loki smirked inwardly when he saw a tint of red in the girl's face. His heart leaped when he heard Talia's sugary giggle.

"Loki's not a bad name either. It's…mysterious." Pride swelled in the handsome man's chest when he heard the complement.

"What can I get you tonight Ms. Talia?" The princess of Xeris looked down at her book. She always ordered her usual Tom Collin's Cocktail, but she wasn't sure what she wanted. Her whole encounter with this hot new bartender and her fantasy from the shower really messed with her stoic and poised mind. She sighed in frustration.

"I'm not so sure. Maybe something to ease my mind or something." Fangs appear as Loki puts away the damp wash rag and starts to pull out several alcoholic beverages and a silver shaker.

"Just give me a minute princess." Both eyes slightly widened at the nickname released into the air. Loki knew if he gave away his identity, he'd be fucked. Relief filled him as the Xerin princess smiled.

"I don't mind if you call me that." Loki exhaled and chuckled to cover up his blunder. After waving his short panic attack off, he went back to making thee concoction. The dark skinned princess went back to reading as many thoughts raced in her mind.

How come she never saw this bartender around? Maybe he's been working on a different day to get used to being on the job. But he does look hot. Immediately, flashes of her fantasy came back, making Talia embarrassed for thinking about it. She turned her attention back to the book of spells. Talia really wanted to get her mind off of that fantasy but even the book wasn't helping. Her clouding thoughts were interrupted when she heard a soft _chink_ coming from the table. The LoliRock star's eyes widened at the tall glass. Beautiful layered colors of orange and red reminded her of a sunset. The drink looked irresistible. A yellow bendy straw was pointed at Talia while floating next to an accenting cherry and orange on the rim. Honey-colored eyes were entranced by the colors and looked up to Loki. He wiped his hands clean and wiped a spot of the glass with his rag.

"What's this?" Excitement shined in Loki's snake-like eyes as Talia took a sip.

"It's a strawberry-mango daiquiri. But I call it: 'A Princess' Decree'." The taste of the drink was super sweet. Talia's taste buds were popping from the fruity elixir. She was thoroughly impressed with the red head's talent for making drinks despite being new on the job.

"It's good. I like it." Loki blushed from the complement. From the corner of his eye, he saw another customer at the end of the bar and got his equipment ready.

"Give me a minute princess. I gotta serve someone else. I'll be back." Talia nodded as the handsome bartender went to go tend someone else at the far end of the bar. It didn't hit her until she took a few more sips of her sweet elixir. Did…did the bartender just say he wanted to continue to talk to her?

 _There's no way._ What guy would want to talk to her? Well, besides a fan? She hasn't had any luck with guys after Kyle. What could this guy possibly want to talk to her about? Surely they don't have anything in common. While Talia was so engrossed with her thoughts, she didn't realize that Loki was in front of her, wiping his hands from making another customer's drink. His dark green eyes peered down at his arch-enemy and love interest's book. He could recognize a few spells but couldn't see the rest of them. Loki sighed inwardly as he stood in front of the dark skinned beauty. She looked so cute as she absentmindedly sipped the drink he made for her. Suddenly, a snarky little idea popped in his head. A little teasing wouldn't hurt.

"So, what kind of book are you reading?" Talia jolted back to reality when she heard that tempting voice. She looked up to Loki smirking while cleaning a shot glass.

"J—Just reading a book." A bright red eyebrow arched in curiosity.

"Really? What kind of book?" Talia silently scoffed. Why is it his business?

"Something you definitely wouldn't like." She took another sip of the Princess' Decree, feeling the alcohol starting to dance in her bloodstream. "Well, what book would you recommend? What do you like?" Talia stirs at her drink, unsure if she's correctly flirting with the guy.

"Oh man, pop up books are brilliant!" Loki grins, wiping a different glass and leaning against the back counter. Talia chuckles, raising an amused brow.

"You can't be serious."

"Hey, don't knock it 'til you've tried it princess. Those things are a work of art. Someone took a story and brought it to life with patience and imagery. They're simple but complex in a fun way." A mischievous smirk danced its way on Loki's face. "You're not afraid of a little fun are you?" The girl's eyes widened and she clears her throat before bringing the drink to her lips.

"Oh my God…"

"Come again?" Talia colors, trying to backtrack.

"I—I said the drink was good…" The young bartender laughed at the princess' lame excuse. She was just so cute to tease! The music stopped playing and the crowd burst into applause and whistles. Both the pop star and bartender looked at the stage and applauded as well despite not paying any attention to the band. A tall, dark skinned black man wearing a white dress shirt and khakis with black dress shoes came to the mic. He put his locs into a ponytail and cleared his throat.

"You guys having a good time tonight?" The crowd cheered in response. The man chuckled as he brought a stool from behind to sit on.

"Well, you guys are in for a treat. It's time to slow thing down for the couples in this place." After counting the beat, the drummer started the music. A plus-sized dark-skinned woman wearing a dark green summer dress elegantly began to play the piano. The soft melody echoed in the club as couples went to the dance floor. Seeing this as an opportunity, Loki hurriedly finish cleaning his last glass and wiped off the counter. He turned to Talia who finished the majority of the concoction he created. He gently extended his hand to the princess of Xeris.

"Care to join me for a dance princess?" This took the wind out of Talia's lungs. She barely knew the guy for a good hour and he wants to dance with her? For once, Talia was truly speechless. After debating about it for a few seconds, the arch-enemy of the bartender in disguise took the pale calloused hand. Auriana and Iris get to have fun with boys tonight. Why can't she?

"Alright." Excited that Talia agreed to dance with him, Loki clocked out as fast as he could and speed-walked around the bar. He caught himself from almost tripping over his own feet. Even though no one else at the bar noticed his little blunder, Talia's sharp eyes saw everything and shined with amusement. She prevented a loud laugh from exiting her throat and puts away her book of spells into her purse. Not wanting to let a perfect song go to waste, Loki extended his hand to the dark skinned beauty and slightly bowed in front of her.

"Ready to have some fun princess?" The act was cheesy, but super cute. Talia giggled and placed her hand in his. She put her purse on her shoulder and followed the handsome bartender to the dance floor.

* * *

 _Sitting here, in this chair._

 _Waiting on you to see things my way._

 _But not a word do you say…_

* * *

Loki found a spot in the middle of the dance floor full of couples slow dancing. He turned around to see his dance partner blushing and shyly looking away. The Zatteran prince in disguise grinned. He slowly grabbed Talia's palm and brought it to his lips. He gently kissed the girl's smooth skin and placed her hand on his shoulder. Loki could feel the Xerin princess hesitating. He guessed that she never really danced with a guy before. Especially after she went out with that one clown.

* * *

 _You won't even look my way, nah._

 _Girl I'm spending my time,_

 _Wasting my dimes._

 _Talking 'til I'm black and blue_

 _But can't you see…_

 _I wanna get next to you…_

* * *

He leaned his face down to hers and looked deeply into her eyes. Talia stared back into those snake-like eyes that seemed to pull her into a trance. The alcohol running in her bloodstream was not helping either.

"Do you trust me princess?" The sound of Loki's voice calmed her. Normally, Talia's defenses were at maximum. But something about this man just made her feel….safe. Loki's breath left his lungs when the princess gave him a rare smile that seemed to only be meant for him. He felt the twenty-one year old grab his arm and wrapped it around her waist. She then snaked her arm around his neck.

* * *

 _Dreams of you go sailing by._

 _Whenever your eyes meet mine._

 _Oh, you're so fine._

* * *

Talia's arch-enemy in disguise felt his heartbeat excel when he felt his dance partner place her head on his chest. A sweet scent of jasmine and vanilla filled his nostrils as Loki buried his face in Talia's hair. With his hands resting on her waist, he began to lead his partner in a slow dance.

* * *

 _Girl, you make me feel so insecure._

 _You're so beautiful and pure._

 _Why must you be unkind?_

 _And tell me I'm not your kind._

 _Blowing my mind._

* * *

Her heart was sure to jump out of her chest. Talia felt so conflicted. How is it that this gorgeous man can make her feel so relaxed but make her heart race at the same time? They just met! Then again, she isn't complaining too much about it. But who exactly is this guy? She knows he's from earth but that's all that she can infer. But how long has he been here in Sunny Bay? Does he have any friends? Any family? What are his hobbies?

* * *

 _My money is low and I know,_

 _That I can't take you to the fancy places,_

 _You might wanna go…_

 _Still…_

 _I wanna get next to you…_

 _May sound crazy, but I…_

* * *

Loki sensed Talia's overthinking when he felt her tense up in his arms. He leaned down into her ear and tried to talk to her without getting too intoxicated to the scent from her chocolate tresses.

"What's wrong princess?" The way he whispered in her ear made the princess' kneecaps go weak. She adverted her eyes to the stage where an old brown skinned man with thinning silver hair came closer to his mic. His dark green silk dress shirt with shiny black pants and dress shoes accented his golden saxophone. He blew into the instrument and performed his heart out with his solo. Knowing that her thoughts wouldn't leave her alone, Talia turned her head to look at Loki. Her blood-pumping organ sped up a little more when she saw how his eyes were shining.

"N—Nothing…" The handsome prince in disguise knew she was lying. He took his arm from around her waist and brought it to her chin. He delicately lifted his love interest's face to his and smiled.

"What's wrong princess?"

"Give it up for Mark Gross ya'll!" The crowd cheered for the older man as he waved.

" _You play that horn like you mean it yeah…"_ Mark winked at the singer and went back to playing his instrument. Throughout this ordeal, Talia stammered like a deer caught in headlights. Was it the alcohol that clouded her judgement? She might as well just go on ahead and be honest with this guy now that he's piqued her interest.

"I—I just wanted to know who you are…" Loki arched an eyebrow.

"Who I am?" She nodded.

"I guess…I guess I just want to get to know you better."

* * *

 _Girl you can shape me, bend me, make me._

 _Whatever it takes to please you._

 _I'm willing to do,_

 _Cause you're my dream come true and…_

 _I wanna get next to you._

* * *

Loki's heart pumped harder than ever. Did the princess that always kicked his ass just seriously said that she wanted to see him again? Instead of leaping for joy, Loki just smile brightly, revealing his fangs.

"How about this princess? Meet me here in the store tomorrow and we can go out for lunch. And then I'll tell you as much as you want to know." Talia couldn't find the words to express how excited she was about the incoming date so she nodded vigorously.

* * *

 _I…gotta get next to you…_

* * *

"Alright then. Tomorrow at eleven?"

* * *

 _Said I….need to…get…next to you…_

* * *

"Sounds like a plan princess!"

* * *

 _Next to you….Next to you…_

* * *

Soon the band's music slowly came to an end. The crowd loudly applauded the band and singer at the mic. Talia looked up to Loki with flirtation and boldness in her eyes. She slowly dragged her hands from the man's neck down to his hips. She gave Loki a smirk that made his stomach do flips.

"You really know how to work those hips of yours. Think you can use them to catch a cab for me?" Loki reddens as golden eyes flickered from his body to his emerald gems. He definitely wasn't used to a flirty Talia but he'd be damned if he missed out on the opportunity.

"I'll see what I can do princess. You sure all you need them for is the taxi?" Standing on her tippy-toes, the Xerin princess breathlessly whispered into the man's ear.

"Call one and we'll find out." The man's face became the shade of his brightly colored hair. Loki's vocabulary went minimum as he took the iPhone being waved in his face. He quickly dialed for a cab while being dragged towards the exit. What all of a sudden changed her attitude? It must be that drink he made her. They walked up the stairs and went through the aisle of books. The owner of the bookstore saw the two leaving to go outside. He was cautious with that bartender he recently hired leaving with his best customer.

"You heading home for the night Talia?" The dark-skinned princess gave a sweet smile to the man with olive skin. Her sudden change in attitude again completely confused Loki. Maybe alcohol affects her differently. He knows that she's not drunk but maybe it's made her loosen up from her usual uptight self?

"Yeah Mr. Adams! Don't worry about Loki right here! He's just escorting me to my taxi!" Talia wasn't lying when a yellow car with black checkers in the middle pulled up in front of the book store. Mr. Adams sighed in relief knowing that Talia was in good hands. Before the elder man bid his farewells to the twenty-one year old, he shifted his eyes to the young bartender and gave a sharp glare.

 _Don't do anything stupid or I'll fuck you up._ A large lump in Loki's throat was hard to swallow after getting the very clear message. Wait, why was he getting scared at that mere earthling's threat? He was a fucking prince! Ruler of dark magic! He could easily trump that weakling with a mere snap of his fingers!

"I wouldn't take him lightly Loki. Despite his age, he still knows many ways to kick some ass without breaking a sweat." The man was kind of freaked out when he heard Talia express what he was thinking. Can his arch-enemy actually read minds when she drinks?

"I'll be sure to take note of that." The prince in disguise opened the cab door and led Talia into the back seat. She fastened her seatbelt in and made sure she had everything in her purse. Before closing the door, Loki was suddenly grabbed by his collar and pulled down to Talia's face. His face colored when he felt silky smooth lips touch his ear.

"I'll see you in the morning baby boy." A delicate yet seductive kiss was placed near his lips. While he was taken to his happy place, Talia shoved him out of the cab and slammed the door shut. The cab took off into the city while Loki was trying to remember what happened to him a few seconds ago. He touched the part of his face where the Xerin's lips have been. Loki's body temperature rose as he felt the blood rushing all the way to his face. The young bartender picked himself off the ground and went into the alley. After walking past the smelly dumpster, he teleported into the city.

He was standing on top of a skyscraper's antenna and transformed back into his original Zatteran clothing. His cape flowed in the wind and his hair changed back into a shorter style. Instead of the strands being a bright red, they went back to being dark burgundy. The man stretched his arms into the sky and then did a leap of joy.

"Mephisto! You're one sly motherfucker!" He shouted into the sky. He couldn't believe what happened tonight. Talia came to the bar and tried out his first drink he made for her, flirted and teased her, convinced her to slow dance with him, set up a date in the morning, got threatened by the store owner just by getting glared at, got a fucking kiss near his lips, and then got shoved out of a taxi and fell on his ass. This has to be the greatest night ever. "And it's all going according to plan…" An arrow of guilt shot right through him. Mephisto sighed as he flew in the air. It sucks that he has to get his hands even dirtier just to get close to one of the princesses. He actually took a liking to Talia. After all, she's pretty and smart and poised. She's his complete opposite. And yet…

"She's absolutely adorable and fun to tease!" Well, at least the first phase of the plan is complete. He didn't want to do this, but he had to admit that he was able to talk to and hold the girl he had feelings for. Mephisto didn't think he'd actually get to hold the princess, much less flirt with her without having to fight each other. And…it felt…good…? Who knew that they could get along without having to fight each other to the death? But it's all just a rouse right? She was only able to talk to him because of his disguise. Can it be possible to talk to her as Mephisto without having to go at each other's throats? A shot of pain in his head caused him to lose his concentration in flying and almost made the younger Zatteran sibling fly into a metal pole. This overthinking made him tired and exhausted. He'll just have to worry about his feelings later and get some sleep.

The twenty-one year old quickly teleported back to his hideout in a cave where he and his sister have been staying at. He walked in and didn't see his older sibling anywhere in the cave. Mephisto just shrugged and assumed that she was still lingering somewhere in the city. He sighed as he walked out of a passage that leads to a waterfall. Mephisto begins to strip his clothes and laid them out on flat rocks. He stretched his arms to the sky as he felt the air hit his naked frame. His muscles ached from clumsily running into the table just to impress Talia. Thinking back on it now, he felt kind of stupid. He shook his head as he dipped his body into the water. The temperature wasn't too cold, but it still sent a chill up Mephisto's spine. The burgundy-haired man looked to the sky filled with stars and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a minute and he saw that beautiful angel behind his eyelids. He remembered how she felt in his arms. She smelled like warm vanilla sugar and jasmine and he just couldn't get enough of it. She looked so pretty in her outfit and her makeup.

" _Mephisto…"_ The man really wanted to let his fingers run through her chocolate strands and hear her moan in pleasure. What Mephisto really wanted to do was to kiss her beautiful skin over and over again. He got the privilege to kiss her hand three times. What would he give to kiss her all over?

" _Mephisto…"_ But damn her lips felt so soft on his skin. He could've sworn he felt his soul leave his body when she kissed him suddenly on his cheek. He wondered what it would feel like to have her lips all over on his scarred skin?

* * *

" _Mephisto…Open your eyes baby boy…"_ _What the hell? He kept hearing that sweet voice…Mephisto finally opened his eyes and looked for the source of the sound. He heard someone humming a wonderful tune near behind the waterfall. Upon squinting his eyes, he could see a figure walking from behind the waterfall. The figure came closer and closer until the man realize that it was—_

" _T—Talia?!" The Xerin princess walked out of the mist in all of her naked glory. Her body was beautifully toned in all the right places. The water glistened her skin, making her look like a seductive sea nymph. Her smoldering eyes nailed Mephisto in his place with his mouth wide opened._

" _Baby boy…" All of a sudden, the majority of the blood in his body went down to a well-endowed muscle. It raised itself out of the water and was throbbing for attention. Mephisto shrieked in embarrassment and attempted to cover his throbbing extremity. He was abruptly stopped when Talia's magic forced his arms to get attached to the earth behind him. His feet were held down to the sea floor by the nymph's magic and his throbbing member was standing up loud and proud above the water. The Zatteran prince felt blood rushing in his veins and his adrenaline was accelerating._

" _T—Talia?! What are you doing here?!" The wet vixen sauntered over to Mephisto and continued to hum her enchanting tune. She knelt in front of him and dragged her hands across his body. The vixen brought her lips to her victim's ear and gently bit it. Mephisto gave a shaking breath, not knowing what Talia would do next._

 _The naked princess drags her lips across the man's face and was in front of his pair of lips. She held a mysterious stare, looking deep into the prince's snake-like eyes. Blood pumped tremendously in Mephisto's chest as he felt a silky pair of lips join with his. The kiss was sweet and soft. But then it became long and just downright sensual. He felt her tongue stroke his lips. She pried them open with ease and danced around in his mouth. His tongue met with hers and he didn't mind that she dominated the field. He felt her hands travel down his body. The scars on his chest and stomach burned with intense pleasure when he felt her warm skin delicately touching his body. Mephisto tensed up when he felt her hands touch his throbbing muscle in between his legs. Her lips left his and immediately went for the neck. The prince couldn't stop the moan from escaping his throat. The vixen's tongue slid down his throat and continued down the wonderfully toned body. A loud moan left prince's lips when he felt Talia's wonderful tongue touch his scars. That wonderful feeling felt so good. She continued to go south until she reached the throbbing muscle that stood at salute. Hypnotizing green eyes looked down to see the brunette lower her lips to his member. Liquid fire raced down the man's spine when he felt a mere kiss on the tip. His voice cracked in the air as he felt Talia's tongue gently lick his sensitive skin. Up and down and up and down. Then he felt her wonderful tongue slide all around. The waterfall drowned out Mephisto's cries of pleasure as he felt the brunette take him fully into her mouth in one try. Her head moved up and down and up and down. Talia then teases her lover by sucking his very sensitive skin like a lollipop. There was a coiling feeling in his stomach that kept building and building. Mephisto wanted release and he wanted it now._

" _Talia! Oh Klasnick! Talia!" She knew he was close. But she wasn't satisfied with his reaction. She released his muscle and brought her lips back to his ear._

" _Mephisto…I want you to sing for me…" He knew what she meant by that but his pride was holding him back from his release. "Mephisto…" He nodded and took deep breaths because he wanted to be released now. The vixen smirked and immediately brought her head back down to his throbbing member and took it all in. She sucked him good and made sure to suck him dry._

" _Talia! Talia!" Mephisto's voice got louder and louder until he started screaming to the heavens. His toes began to curl as he arched his back. Suddenly, his arms were freed from Talia's binding spell and Mephisto immediately pushed the princess of Xeris' head down. The coiling feeling inside finally exploded, sending the man into a life-shattering orgasm. He continued to feel Talia's mouth sucking him dry as he felt his release being swallowed by the princess. Suddenly, Mephisto was taken underwater. Water filled his nose and lungs as he desperately flailed to get to the surface._

* * *

He gathered his bearings of his surroundings and realized that the moon was still out with the stars shining brightly. Mephisto sputtered out water as he looked to see where he was. His snake-like eyes widened when he saw that his clothes were still laid out on a flat rock. He must have fallen asleep while he was taking a bath! That dream seemed so real. Talia's lips and tongue made him feel like he was on fire. He loved everything about that dream. He suddenly came to a realization. Mephisto wasn't just attracted to Talia. He was hooked. He wanted her. He wanted her in his arms. He wanted to feel her under him. He wanted to know her strengths and weaknesses. He wanted to see her smile. He wanted to wipe her tears. He wanted to love her. But he could only do that as his alter ego of Loki, a red-headed bartender that dresses nice and flirts. He sighed with his internal conflict of having to get close to Talia in order to please Gramorr and for his own desires. But there's one thing for sure. Whatever Mephisto wants, Mephisto gets.

"I like Talia. And I will have her in my arms as Mephisto."

* * *

 **WASSUP BITCHEEEESSSS! This chapter honestly took me FOR-FUCKING-EVER to finish. I was on a roll but for some reason, my procrastination that's set for school assignments was lingering on my shoulder and I needed a push to get it finished. Also, since this is my first smut story, it took a while to think it out and fully write it in my style. Also, I did get help from the ULTIMATE SMUT-WRITER HERSELF, KIREINOTSUKI! She actually wrote out several parts of the story that did help push it along. Also, for the song that's used here in this story, it's called "I Wanna Get Next To You" that's performed by my favorite artist Marlon Saunders. And if you don't know who he is, he's the guy that sang both of Knuckles the Echidna's theme songs in both Sonic Adventure DX and Sonic Adventure 2. Seriously, check him out on YouTube and iTunes. He just released a new single last month. So, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Let me know if I have any misspellings or grammar errors! I'll try to get started on the next one since I'm still on spring break for the rest of this week. Stay safe and stay awesome! Happy reading everyone! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

_She refused to let her voice cry out. Pearly whites clenched hard to keep the sound from escaping those plump lips. The woman wanted to cry out. So. Fucking. Badly. But her pride and the fact that two of her friends are currently practicing above would hear her moaning echo. Hands that were the color of the earth were bound above her with dark crystals. A waterfall of light blue hair cascaded behind a bookcase filled with magic spells that were too dangerous to be used. The woman, the Xerin princess, felt her body twitch when she felt another sensational feeling go up her spine. That sensation made her go insane. This time, it was so painfully slow. She felt a small vibration down south that made her stomach drop. She wanted to lift her head to see what happened, but all she could see were her thighs, her white skirt flipped back onto her stomach, and a head full of burgundy hair in between. The head full of burgundy hair moved up and down with a slow motion and the princess with dark skin arched her back. Pleasure erupted in her body when she felt something incredibly smooth, warm, and wet touch her in a place where she'd least expect such sinful sensations. Luckily, the woman's moan was drowned out by a crashing sound of crystals being destroyed above. The possessor of the burgundy hair was not too pleased with the moan being suppressed by the loud noise._

 _"What's the matter princess? Afraid your friends will hear this little song you only sing for me?" A deep, husky voice whispered between the princess of Xeris' legs in a taunting manner. A bright rosy hue appeared on the girl's face as beads of sweat dripped from her forehead._

 _"S—Shut up! They'll hear us!" She didn't want him to stop. But if they didn't keep their voices down, the other two princesses would surely hear them and stick their noses in their affairs. The man chuckled as his ungloved hand smoothly glided up his lover's legs. He relished in seeing her shiver from his touch. But he wasn't done just yet. His snake-like tongue glided over his lips with seduction. The man's taste buds rejoiced when he tasted the woman's essence. And by God she tasted so wonderful._

 _"The real question here Talia is do you want them to hear that nice song of yours?" Before she could answer, the man with burgundy hair dived his face back to its original position between Talia's legs and allowed his tongue to fully explore. The dark skinned princess had to bite her lips hard to keep herself from screaming to the heavens. She felt her lover's long tongue taste her everywhere. From the slowest strokes to the fastest pace. She couldn't take it anymore. But what could she do? Her feet were restrained by dark crystal magic and she could feel a pool of energy in her body waiting to be released. More explosions of shattering crystals and magic spells continued to drown out some of Talia's squeaking while her lover was annoyed and amused with all of the noise._

 _The princess felt her body tense up, waiting for the release. Her upper body began to hurt from arching to feel more pleasure from her lover's tongue constantly rolling over the most sensitive part of her body. The man sensed this and smirked. He bared his fangs and began to slowly lick in small circles just to fuck with his princess. Suddenly, the man's fangs pierced Talia and his tongue started to suck long and hard on her most sensitive skin. Her hips bucked as Talia's voice was finally set free as she screamed her lover's name into the air, not giving a damn if her friends heard her. The tense feeling that was built up inside her was finally getting released, along with her sanity._

 _"Fuck! Fuck! M—M—M—!" Honey-colored orbs saw stars and a bright light shining above her as she felt her body give away._

* * *

"MEPHISTO!" A body covered in sweat and navy blue pajamas jolted from the bed. Talia's lungs tried to retain as much air as they can but they burned with such intensity. The girl's chest hurt and she tried to calm herself down. Her body was shaking from the dream and from having another intense orgasm. Talia dragged her hand down her face. What the actual fuck was going on with her? This was the second time in a row that she fantasized about her archenemy continuously doing sinful things to her. Did she hit her head or something? Or is she really starting to lose her mind? Talia shook her head as she cleared her thoughts. Her eyes searched for her alarm clock to look at the time. Blaring red numbers read 11:19 a.m. on the device, causing the brunette's eyebrows to raise. She slept that long?!

Talia rubbed her eyes and wiped the sweat off of her forehead. As she tried to stretch her arms, the princess had this nagging feeling in the back of her head. Wasn't she supposed to do something today? The dark skinned princess of Xeris wracked her brain and tried to refresh her memory of what she was supposed to do.

* * *

 _"How about this princess? Meet me here in the store tomorrow and we can go out for lunch. And then I'll tell you as much as you want to know."_

 _"Alright then. Tomorrow at eleven?"_

 _"Sounds like a plan princess!"_

* * *

Talia's eyebrows shot up in realization. She completely forgot that she had a date with that handsome bartender today! The younger princess of Xeris immediately hopped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. In lightning speed, she discarded her clothes and quickly hopped in the shower. Waking up late, forgetting the time, and rushing to get to a date that she's late for definitely wasn't Talia. It must've been the drink she had last night. It tasted so good and probably had more alcohol in it than her usual order. And stupid Mephisto getting in her head. Why was that loser all she thought about for a bit? He's dangerous with that dark magic, but he's a total klutz! He just seemed so awkward and weird and is always under his bratty twin's shadow. Mephisto also tended to whine a lot when things weren't going his way. How could Talia take that clown seriously? She got out of the shower and dried off with a light blue towel. She then wrapped the towel around her and dried her hair with a yellow towel. Talia then turned on her blow dryer and dries her hair while she's thinking. Suddenly, her hand holding the blow dryer stopped moving when she thought back to a battle that happened two months ago. A shiver went down her spine when she remembered how Mephisto went into a rage when the frustrations of not receiving an Oracle Gem got to him. His magic became way more dangerous than usual and actually almost killed her. For once in her life, Talia, the most disciplined princess of the group, was afraid of Mephisto would do to her. But the sick thing about that day was that Talia couldn't take her eyes off of him. The twenty-one year old shook her head. She needs to stop thinking about that evil twin and finish getting dressed.

"I cannot believe I woke up so late!" Talia proceeded to go to her closet to find an outfit for the day. When she opened the door, she suddenly felt butterflies in her stomach. Why was she so nervous all of a sudden? Perhaps it's because she hasn't been on a date for a while? Especially after having to deal with Kyle? Or because she's also having a date with a complete stranger and she doesn't want to repeat what happened with Kyle? Talia looked at the clock and realized she would let the entire date go to waste if she didn't haul ass to get dressed.

"Shit!"

* * *

He checked his watch again to view the time. The gold hands inside the expensive trinket pointed to the numbers eleven and forty. The man wasn't the one to have a temper like his twin sibling, but he damn sure was going to get pissed if he waited for another twenty minutes.

"Ugh! She's late! Where is she?" The man with bright red hair in a ponytail adjusted his collar of his black dress shirt. He wore some fashionable black jeans with shiny black shoes that were not only nice-looking, but comfortable to walk in long distances. He made sure to look his best today in order to start woo-ing a certain brunette. He stood right in front of a glass window, staring outside and watching cars and pedestrians going to their destinations. The red head bared his teeth to the glass and saw his fangs glisten in the reflection.

"Are you waiting for someone? Uh…'Loki' was it?" A voice brought the man back to reality. In the reflection of the glass, Loki could see his boss staring at him with suspicious eyes. Last night was way too close when he saw his best customer needing assistance from that new bartender he hired to get to her taxi. He didn't know much about Loki either, aside from the paperwork he received about the red head's education and where he got his bartending license from. The old man just wanted his young female customers to be safe. He's had to encounter plenty of creeps ever since he renovated his bookshop to bring in more young customers. The shop owner had to be aware of a lot of people and the signs of potential stalkers.

"Actually yes Mr. Boss-Man. It's just that she's almost an hour late and I'm pretty hungry." Loki's boss was quite curious of who his employee was supposed to meet with. That didn't lower his guard whatsoever. Just as the old man with olive skin finished placing the blank receipt roll into the printer part of the machine, a bell chimed to signal that someone had entered into the store.

Both men turned their attention to the door to reveal a brunette they both know. Talia seemed a bit out of breath for rushing to get to the store. Loki tried not to stare at the Xerin princess but it was hard not to when she's looking so adorable. Talia wore a cute white shirt that had the short sleeves hanging off of her shoulders with blue stars going down from her left shoulder to her waist. She also wore bright blue skinny jeans with black shiny flats. Three silver bangles were on her right arm that matched with the silver rose earrings Talia decided to wear at the last minute. The Xerin princess carried a small black purse that extended over the shoulder. "Adorable" was the only word that Loki could describe the LoliRocker. Honey-colored gems looked to the elder man at the cash register and glistened with happiness.

"Good morning Mr. Adam! How are you today?" Loki had to keep himself from pouting. He waited for Ms. "Punctual" for almost an hour for lunch and she acknowledges the old man first! Sure it was his shop, but Talia was supposed to be the one to see him and acknowledge him first!

"Morning Talia! Coming for some books today?" The twenty-one year old chuckled and shook her head.

"Actually, I'm supposed to meet—Oh! There you are. Uh, I apologize for being late." Blood rushed to Talia's cheeks with embarrassment. This is probably not the best way show one's first impression for a date. Loki crossed his arms and smiled. He couldn't stay that mad at her for too long.

"I'll forgive you, but for this one time princess." The red-head opened the door and waited for Talia to exit. She stepped through the entrance and Loki was about to walk right after her until he caught another murderous stare from Mr. Adams.

 _Don't fuck it up or I'll fuck you up._ Loki swallowed the lump in his throat and exited out of the store. He motioned Talia to follow him down the sidewalk. The silence was a bit awkward. The ice should get cracked and Talia swallowed her pride to do so.

"So…"

"So…"

"I'm really sorry for coming late. I messed up our plans didn't I?"

 _Awww dammit! She's too cute! Too bad there's nothing else I came up with for the day…_ Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in the man's head. He pulled down his sunglasses and grabbed Talia's hand. Both felt sparks when their skin touched, but neither one was going to say anything. Curiosity got the best of Talia when Loki pulled her across the street.

"Where are we going?" Loki showed off his pearly whites and his fangs gleamed from the bright and shining sun.

"You'll find out princess!"

* * *

 **HELLO BITCHEEEEESSSS! I know it's been a while for an update but I literally am either too busy working or too tired to come up with something. I have this job at a grocery store and I fucking hate it. Back-breaking labor for minimum wage, shitty managers, shitty hours on days where I can't go out and have fun, and having to deal with shenanigans I didn't sign up for. I'm trying to find a different job but it ain't easy when I only have a month and a half left to work before I go back to school. But anyway, here's the next chapter! I honestly felt like I needed to take three showers for making that sin because it was soooooo much more detailed and my imagination runs wild lmao. So, I'll try to create another chapter when I'm off of work this week. Other then that, be safe and stay awesome angels! Let me know if I need to change my grammar or spelling! Happy reading everyone! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Both parties stopped in front of a giant white building with a giant sign of a Humpback Whale surrounded by a school of exotic fish. Honey-colored eyes blinked with confusion and turned to the man in black. The man with red hair and a stylish black outfit looked up to the giant sign with pride and was plotting how they would spend the day. Above and below the whale and fish, bright yellow letters read "Sunny Bay" and "Aquarium".

"Uh…Loki?" The sound of the dark skinned princess' voice got his attention.

"Hmmm…?"

"I thought we were supposed to be going for lunch?" Loki chuckled as he turned his head to his date. Damn, she was just so adorable!

"We are Talia! You just have to trust me princess!" The twenty-one year old kind of couldn't help but be a bit skeptical. Here she is at the aquarium with this guy she just met last night that was supposed to treat her to lunch. Then again, she was the one that was very curious about who this guy is because his first impression somehow impressed her and left her curious. She sighed to herself and finally nodded, giving Loki the approval for their date.

"Well…alright. I'll trust you." The prince of Zattera in disguise felt his organ leap with joy as he dragged his nemesis into the building. Their hands were still connected, but neither party noticed until Loki let go of the princess' hand so he could open the door and escort Talia through. The inside of the lobby was huge compared to how it looked outside.

The floors were marble and there was a large gift shop that took up half of the room. In the middle of the floor, ticket booths were busy doing transactions with other patrons that are wanting to see the creatures of the deep. Hanging from the ceiling, there was a giant paper mache of a Humpback Whale, a Great White Shark, several Orca Whales, many jellyfish, and a large sea of colorful exotic fish. There were children with their parents, kids in groups of what seems to be from summer camps, other couples, and just people generally just wanting to come and enjoy the animals that roam around in the waters. In between the ticket booths, there were metal turn-sties that were being turned when the customers fully paid for their admission. They disappeared downstairs while riding escalators to get to their destinations. Some people took the escalators upstairs to go to the movie theatre. Loki brought Talia to one of the lines and stood behind a man wearing a red shirt with yellow and white stripes. Loki suddenly stopped in his place and felt someone collide into his back. Talia rubbed her nose to ease some of the pain of crashing into her date. Their line began to move as several visitors paid for their tickets.

The rock star looked to Loki and raised her eyebrow. What exactly was this man planning? She looked down to see their hands still glued together. Talia couldn't help but show a red tint in her face. She was out at an aquarium with a handsome guy she just met last night. And has the hots for him for some reason. Well, at least her friends are with their boyfriends for the weekend so she wouldn't get pushed into the corner and be forced to give details. The Xerin princess felt a slight tug as she and Loki moved forward to the attendant. The attendant looked like a college student wearing a shirt that looked like the ocean filled with colorful fish and navy blue pants. Their skin was a dark olive color and had shiny long black hair that was braided into a ponytail. They looked up to see the handsome man with red hair looking excited.

"Hello! Welcome to Sunny Bay's Aquarium! How are you doing today?" The attendant said with a thick accent.

"I'm splendid my good man!" Truth be told, Loki was very excited for the day. That dream he had last night boosted his confidence to pull this off. But he had to remember to put his lust aside for Talia to get the important information to find those Oracle Gems. At least he can mix a bit of business with pleasure.

"Will the two of you be joining us today?" Loki smiled as he put his arm around the princess' shoulders.

"Yes sir! Just me and Princess right here." Talia awkwardly grinned after hearing her nickname. This was definitely gonna take some getting used to.

"Alright. Your total is forty-two euros." The red-head pulled out his wallet and gave the money to the attendant. In return, Loki got the two tickets and a receipt. Thank Ydinora he knew how earth's currency works. He couldn't afford to look stupid in front of Talia like how he did last night.

"Thank you—", Green eyes peaked at the nametag, "Humberto!" The man smiled at Loki, liking his charm.

"You two have fun now! And I can't wait to see you perform Ms. Talia." The twenty-one year old nodded and followed the bartender. She and Mephisto in disguise went past the turn sites and met two different attendants. One had blonde hair with tan skin while the other was a bit chubby but had dark skin and brown hair that went to their lower back.

"Hiya guys! Are you ready to head down?" Loki nodded with anticipation while Talia just smiled at the two employees.

"Good! I just need to check your purse really quickly before you can set off to your adventure!" The twenty-one year old sets the purse on the table and allows the employee to check its contents. A second passes and Talia receives her bag and a smile.

"You're all set guys! Enjoy your visit!" Loki takes Talia's hand in his and walks her to the escalator. The Xerin princess stepped on the moving contraption as Loki followed suit. Both parties stepped off of the escalator and took in the site of the aquarium. A squeal bubbled in the red-head's throat but he had to contain it. Mephisto has never seen so many different fish before! Especially not back home on Ephedia.

Thoughts started to race in the dark-skinned princess' head. What should they see? Should she say something? She really didn't want things to become too awkward. Honey-colored gems looked to the handsome man. His green eyes glittered with excitement from seeing the glass tanks all around the place. Talia gently cleared her throat, making Loki come out of his excited stupor.

"Well, what should we see first?" Part one was done. Now, what should happen for part two? A nagging feeling buzzed in the back of Loki's head.

 _"You need to find out where and what the princesses are doing so we can find out how we can get an Oracle Gem. Your one plan was nice but now we need to get the others. Don't fuck this up. It took a lot of convincing to get Gramorr to approve of this plan. If it goes well, we can keep it going for as long as it takes."_ The man sighed inwardly. He knows he's only doing this for his own gain. But dammit, Loki wants Talia. He can't help but be attracted to her! Fuck it. He'll just get back to the plan later. Right now, he's gonna spend his time with his princess as he sees fit.

"Let's just go around until we've seen everything. Then we can go to the next place. Are you up for it princess?" Loki extended his hand to the rock star, giving her a rare smile that made her stomach turn over. She felt the air leave her lungs as she looked into his eyes. They seemed to gleam for her and only her. Talia gently placed her hand in the bartender's and nodded. Without hesitation, Talia and her date strolled over to the first clear glass full of fish. The colorful specimen were swimming around aimlessly in the water and the temptation to tap on the glass was hard to ignore.

The couple stared at the animals in wonder. Neither one of them ever saw this kind of fish back home in Ephedia. The colors are so different and the sizes too. Each fish had a unique design to them. The Zatteran prince in disguise marveled at how the creatures looked. It was just so fascinating! And this was just the first tank out of many! Talia looked above her and saw a panel filled with information about what the fish are called and where their origins lie. Who knew that a mere goldfish in the aquarium could be founded in a lake right here in Sunny Bay? Or in other freshwaters around the world? She felt her hand being tugged as Loki tried to move to a different tank. He looked back with a hint of guilt.

"Sorry. Are you done looking at this tank?" The twenty-one year old giggled to herself. It's like watching a boy getting excited to find something in the candy shop.

"Relax Loki. We can go to the next tank." He smiled and moved to a different part of the area, taking the Xerin princess with him. While they were walking, Talia observed the place. It was very pretty and a bit spacious. The room was round and had at least ten tanks filled with aquatic animals. In the middle of the room were false plants surrounded by oak benches for visitors to sit on. There were a few people sitting on the benches while looking on their phones or posing for selfies. The princess turns her head and looks at Loki. Damn, he really was handsome. He had mature features but he also has a boyish look to his charm. While the man laid eyes on the creatures, he felt a pair of eyes on him. He turned to see Talia staring at him and chuckled.

"What's up princess? You like what you see?" The woman choked on air while her cheeks gave off a rosy tint.

"I—I don't know! Was something there?" Loki gave a hearty laugh as he pulled the princess into his arms. She groaned in irritation at herself. She didn't mean to stare at him like that!

"Aww it's okay Talia! I do know that I'm handsome! And yes, it's all only for you." Loki just couldn't help it. How could this princess who's seriously uptight be this much fun to tease? While it is fun to tease the dark-skinned princess, the red-head didn't want to make things more awkward than they're supposed to be. "How about this princess? Since you're so curious about me, how about we ask each other questions? Like a game?"

"You mean play 'Twenty Questions'?" The handsome bartender grinned from the excitement. Talia rolled her eyes but decided to play along anyway. After all, she did want to know who he is.

"Yeah. That game."

"Alright princess. We'll start the game after we see all the other fish first." The woman shrugs as she gets pulled to the other tanks in the room. She keeps her attention on the many fish so she wouldn't draw any attention to herself. She does enjoy the fact that she has fans who love the band and look up to her. But she didn't want to be overwhelmed with fans throughout her entire date. After seeing the other fish, the couple walked into a long hallway. Surrounding the visitors were glass filled with water and various oceanic creatures. A wonderful melody came from the speakers to give the visitors a warm feel.

Loki tugged Talia with him as he continued to be fascinated with earth's animals. Some of them looked similar to the ones back home. The man happened to look to his side and felt some of the air leave his lungs. The dark-skinned princess seemed to glow from the light reflecting in the water. His mind immediately went back to that dream he had last night. Loki shoved his fantasy as quickly as he could. He had to make a good impression if he wanted to get close to the princess. He couldn't throw that opportunity away just because of his lustful thoughts. Even though Talia couldn't read minds, she did have a feeling that the silence between them was getting awkward. She kind of wanted her date to start asking the questions but the ice needs to break somehow. Pride was quickly swallowed and deep breaths were taken.

"So—"

"So—" Both parties looked at each other and chuckled. So maybe Talia can read his mind.

"I think I'll go first princess." The woman nodded.

"Ask away." The Prince of Zattera wracked his brain to find a question that's simple but also isn't so stupid to ask.

"You're in a band right? How long have you guys been performing?" Simple and not too intruding.

"A few years. It was a bit hard to get off the ground since we were very young and had almost no experience in show business." Score one for Loki! The couple walked into a different room. This time, it was filled with tanks full of fish that are deemed to be very dangerous. The walls were darker and gave off a dangerous feel. The lights dimmed a bit but was good enough for the fish to be seen and for everyone to see where they were going. The couple walked to a tank full of fish that were grey but had red stomachs. Their scales glittered with gold and were swimming in a trance.

"I haven't seen this kind of fish…They have teeth?" Talia giggled at Loki's question, which brought her to ask hers.

"They're piranhas. They're super dangerous when they're hungry and don't really live here either. Speaking of which, are you new to this town?" Of course the first question Talia had to ask would be the one that throws him off. How was he supposed to respond to that? The woman seemed to have struck a nerve when she realized that Loki went silent. Dammit! "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—"

"It's alright princess. No harm done. But to answer your question, yes. Well, I'm still fairly new to the town. I've only been here for about five months. I just kinda had to think about it you know?" Guilt surged in the princess' veins and she couldn't help but feel like shit. She really should've asked a different question.

"I'm really sorry for asking something too personal!" The prince in disguise kept himself from laughing out loud. This woman is too damn cute for her own good! He pulled her close and gave her a tight hug, making Talia shut up before she starts to ramble again.

"Relax princess! You said you wanted to know me and here I am! I'm open for some more personal questions. If it's _very_ personal, I can't tell you here but I can show you later." A dark red hue graced Talia's face and she was grateful that no one can really see it. The things that this man says just always leaves her speechless! Her throat was briefly cleared before she dragged Loki to a different display of fish to hide her embarrassment. The red-headed bartender just couldn't get enough of teasing her! It was too much fun!

"Well…it's your turn to ask me something now." Loki around to see the other displays of dangerous creatures, trying to come up with another question to ask. Well, what can he ask?

"Okay princess. How did the band come to be?" Now it was Talia's turn to go silent. How else was she supposed to answer this question? An evil wizard came in and fucked shit up and tried to take over the planet but can't do it without the crown so she had to use the band as a cover to find the lost princess to reclaim the throne and overthrow the magical warlord? Yeah, he'll believe that shit. The princess looked at the glass without saying a word. Guilt forced its way into Loki's stomach, fearing that he just asked something that was out of line.

"It just...Well, it started out as something we wanted to do. I moved here due to…circumstances prior and I just wanted to start over. I became friends with both Auriana and Iris and we kind of hit it off. We just started singing together while doing some work and then it happened. Again, it took a while for it to form but that's how it happened." Loki was surprised that Talia could lie that quickly and effortlessly. But the amazement didn't shrug off the horrible feeling he had. He knew why she wouldn't talk about the events prior to her coming to earth. After all, it was Gramorr that caused such chaos among the realms. He was only with the wizard to get a thrill out of it and to gain whatever he could get his hands on, along with his twin.

The prince in disguise looked at Talia and noticed her eyes becoming a bit glassy. He figured that she was remembering her past and what happened in her home realm. Loki didn't know if it was the guilt, but he snaked his free arm around Talia's shoulders and pulled her to his chest. The rock star's eyes widened at the gesture in disbelief. Was she that easy to read? The red-head then released her after a minute and tugged the brunette into a different hallway. While the structure of the previous hallway looked the same, the animals swimming were completely different. There were various eels, small sharks, and a few rays lurking about. The couple entered the long hallway and went off to the side to stare at some of the new creatures. The silence between them was a bit thick due to the hug from earlier.

"Talia, I do apologize if that question made you think of what happened before you moved here." The twenty-one year old was stunned. He barely even calls her by her real name! But his words did touch her heart, something that rarely happens.

"It's fine Loki." She put her head on his shoulder. It took all of the man's strength to not gasp and have his knees buckle beneath him. Hand-holding was one thing but Talia putting her head on his shoulder _lovingly_? That was a completely different story. He fought hard to keep the blood from rushing to his cheeks so he continued to stare at the sea creatures. However, his slit eyes seemed to have taken an interest in a particular eel. It seemed like it was just staring at him.

"Hey princess? Is it possible for an animal to follow you behind a glass tank?" The question almost made Talia laugh out loud like there were no other visitors enjoying the aquarium.

"What brought this question on?" Loki pointed to the particular eel that continued to watch him.

"Because I think that guy is trying to follow me." The Zatteran prince merely stepped to the left and the head of the eel moved at the same time. Then he stepped back to the right and the same thing happened. He then stepped backwards and the eel was trying to worm its way out of its hiding spot to follow the bartender. Needless to say, Loki was a bit freaked out but ecstatic about the creature's behavior towards him. His ears picked up the dark-skinned woman's sugary giggle from both her date's and the eel's antics.

"Should I leave you two alone to get acquainted or something?" Loki smirked as he took his date's hand and strolled away from the glass.

"I believe I said I would be on a date with you today princess. I'm afraid I'll have to schedule another date with my fishy beloved for another time!" Both parties laughed as the traveled through the hallway. The poor eel had to sit behind the glass and watch the human walk away. And things were starting to get good! The couple then walked into a room filled with what looked like lava lamps. But inside the lamps were jellyfish. Big ones and small ones caught the eyes of the visitors all over the room.

Loki couldn't believe the sight. It was as if he was in a fancy party room but the lamps were filled with creatures that were alive. He heard a sigh coming from Talia and feared that there was something wrong again. He released an inward breath as he realized that the Xerin princess only sighed in amazement. Loki felt his blood pumping organ excel when he saw the woman's eyes. The absolutely sparkled in delight and he felt himself drowning in them. Talia felt a pair of eyes watching her intently and she looked around to see if they were being followed. Loki shifted his eyes somewhere else, thanking Ydinora that he wasn't spotted. He can't let himself get careless like that again. Loki is supposed to look cool and charming, not weird and aloof. However, he did see a larger specimen of jellyfish that was purple and yellow. He didn't mean to drag Talia with him but he was so fascinated with a creature that literally looks like a Worlune back home. Apparently he and Talia had the same thought because even she could've sworn that the jellyfish was a creature she encountered as a child. All of a sudden, a curious thought shot through her mind. What was his childhood like? How did he get into bartending? Out of all places, why come to Sunny Bay? She wanted to ask him but Talia figured she should wait. The princess honestly didn't want to get riled up again, especially in a room where it's pretty much a light show.

"Excuse me everyone!" An employee with a microphone headset waved their hand to get the attention of the visitors. "In four minutes, we will be presenting several critters that you can take pictures with and touch! If you want to participate, please follow me!" Several children in the room begged their parents to take them to see the animals. Some cheered with glee while others pouted or tried to throw tantrums for not being able to get permission to go pet the animals. Curiosity got the best of Loki and he wanted to go follow the employee. He felt a bit bad that he was dragging Talia everywhere for something he wanted to see. He stood in his place and continued to stare at the organism. Talia wasn't fooled whatsoever by Loki's façade. She nudged him with her elbow and nodded in the direction where everyone else was going.

"Are you sure princess? I thought you—"

"I don't mind it at all Loki. Besides, I'm just as curious as you." A huge grin wormed its way on the man's face to show off his shiny fangs. He tightened his grip on Talia's hand and speed-walked into a tunnel. As soon as they went into the next area, both the princess and prince gasped. There were four employees behind a pool filled with small sharks, sea urchins, sea slugs, and a few turtles. There was one employee standing to the side holding a snake that kept sliding around their arms and neck. So many "oohs" and "ahhs" released into the air from children and some adults. The couple goes to the pool behind a group of kids from a summer camp and look into the water. A female employee with wavy blue hair scooped up what looked like a brown and white small shell.

"Can anyone tell me what this little guy is?" All of the kids raised their hands while shouting out wrong answers. The employee then pointed to a child with two braided ponytails going down their back.

"That's a shellfish!"

"That's correct! Did you know that there are hundreds of different shellfish like this one in the ocean?" Green orbs widened at the new information. There were _hundreds_ of creatures like that one existing on this planet? And he thought there were various species of animals in different realms of Ephedia. Loki looked in the pool and saw the other creatures gliding through the ripples with ease. He really wanted to stick his hand in the water and see what they felt like. It took everything in him to not stick his hand in the pool like some lunatic. His eyes immediately shifted to the snake sliding down the handler's arm. It was so cool to look at. The snake was medium in size, but its length was a bit long. It was yellow and had dark green eyes with black slits. Some kids were afraid to touch the scaly reptile and hid behind their parents' legs.

"No need to be afraid guys! Raymond here won't hurt you!" The handler tried to calm the visitors but it seemed to have no effect on them. The snake didn't pay any attention to the squeamish kids and kept slithering on the handler's arms. While the reptile captured the Zatteran prince's interests, Talia furrowed her eyebrows in distaste. It's not that she was afraid of snakes, but because she had to fight a black crystal snake-like creature a few months ago. The damn thing wouldn't sit still and tried to swallow her whole. She tightened her grip on Loki's palm, making him wonder why Talia would even be scared of something so cool.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of snakes princess!" The woman shook her head.

"I'm not afraid of them! I just can't bring myself to touch one." The man smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever sweetens your tea princess." Talia mentally face-palmed at the phrase. That was so corny! The dark-skinned princess' arch enemy in disguise released her hand and stood in front of the handler.

"What kind of a snake is Ray?" The reptile raised its head as if he was acknowledging Loki that it heard him.

"I'm glad you asked sir! Raymond here is a Jamaican boa. He can grow up to seven feet long and can have his life span around twenty years. His female counterpart is usually bigger than he is though." A long tongue kept going in and out of Ray's mouth. It sensed Loki's presence and it wanted to see if the man was what it thought it was.

"Can I touch him?" The arm that harbored the snake's head extended out to the red-head.

"Sure! But please avoid his head, mouth, and eyes. Ray is blind and he uses his tongue to see." Loki pocketed the information in his mind as he carefully dragged his fingers against the snake's scales. Raymond jetted out his tongue a few more times and tried to slide against the bartender's arm. Green orbs brightened with delight because the sassy reptile was trying his best to make a new friend. "Looks like Raymond is taking a liking to you." The handler carefully puts the snake's body around Loki's neck and stands beside him to ensure no problems happen. The bartender giggled and turned to his date to show off his new friend.

"Look Talia! He likes me!" Despite the fact that she doesn't associate well with snakes, the Xerin princess smiled brightly and nodded.

"Is Ray always this friendly with others?" The handler shook his head.

"In all honesty, no. He is a harmless snake but he doesn't really pay attention to anyone else that comes to visit. He does stay still for those that want to touch him but I've never seen him willingly go to a stranger before." Several kids witnessed the snake coiling its scaly body around Loki's arm. They loudly asked if they could touch Ray without fearing that he'll bite. Loki looked to the handler for guidance. After all, this is a situation he's never been in when it comes to children.

After receiving an approving nod, Loki knelt down on one knee and extended his arm. Small fingers touched the scaly reptile and shivered at the texture of its skin. A warm feeling swirled in Loki's chest as the kids continued to pet the snake. Is this how it feels…to be nice? He looked up to see Talia grinning and taking pictures on her iPhone. The prince gave his best smile as he posed with the other kids. Ray moved his head up near Loki's as if he could see the camera being pointed towards him. Talia took several photos along with other adults passing through the exhibit. She softly sighed when she saw how happy the kids are. Especially when she saw how her date's smile looked so beautiful. She paused and squinted her eyes at the screen. Is…is the snake _smiling_?

"Okay everyone! Raymond is starting to get a bit tired so I'm gonna take him back to bed so he can rest." All of the kids, including Loki, grunted in dissatisfaction that their moment with Raymond is over. Loki stood up and carefully gave the reptile back to the handler. The snake tried to slither its way back to Loki but was stopped by his hand.

"You have to rest so you can see other people later. Be good little buddy! And I'll come back to visit you!" Loki could've sworn he saw the reptile nod its head as if it heard him. The trainer puts Raymond back in his cage and walked through a door only for employees. He had to admit, that was one of the best encounters he's ever had with earth's animals. He felt someone tap his shoulder and turned to see Talia's face. She held out a small bottle of hand sanitizer for him to use.

"I see you made another new friend today." Loki finished rubbing the sanitizing liquid and grabbed Talia's hand once again. They walked into a new tunnel filled with medium sized sharks. When the couple reached the end of the tunnel, they gasped in shock. The whole room was a giant fish tank! The floor was silver marble and had exotic plants placed in different parts of the room. Everyone could see different schools of salt-water fish, manta rays, shellfish, and turtles. Loki saw a huge turtle gliding from one side to the other. It was if they were all underwater.

The couple walked around a bit to take in the atmosphere. The music was calming and its tone made the visitors feel like they were in another world. Loki stopped in front of the giant glass and stared at it. The way the creatures glide, the calming melody of the music, and how the water glowed soothed him. Loki never felt so serene with himself. It's like…something so new to him. And he was freaked out a little bit by it. His palm was squeezed by the dark-skinned woman right beside him. He looked at his reflection and blinked. The Zatteran prince must've made a face to worry the princess, making her comfort him. Since when did the great prince of dark magic become so emotionally vulnerable? He reciprocated the squeeze to send the message that he was alright so Talia wouldn't worry.

"You know, you still have to ask me another question." Honey-colored gems blinked from the sudden phrase. She totally forgot that they were supposed to keep playing twenty-questions. But how could she? Her date went from being flirty and full of laughter to silent and somber in just a few minutes. She looked at the red-head for a minute and then looked back at the glass. Silence danced between them for a few seconds until Talia's voice interrupted the performance.

"What made you move here in the first place? And what made you take up bartending?" Oh boy. Well, now it's his turn to "explain" how and why he got here. He inhaled deeply and carefully chose his words.

"Well, I came here because back home wasn't…that great. I mean, I did have a nice life going for me. But I've…done a few things I'm not proud of. And it wasn't serious but it still didn't feel good. But I did discover my love of bartending when dad did tricks to make his drinks. It looked like he could do magic. But then things went downhill. I lost a lot. And all I have is my sister. It took a while to be able to come here and get used to the new setting but it's worth it." So Loki also has a sad past too. Both of them lost a lot. They both also have done things that were wrong and they still regret their actions. And they both still have their siblings with them. It's only been a few hours and they already have so much in common. Still, it ached her heart that someone like him had gone through so much. And even after what they went through, they still somehow found happiness in what they love. Talia daintily touched the glass with her free palm and rubbed her thumb against the back of Loki's hand.

"There was something my mother once told me." Green eyes looked at the woman with mocha locks. His breath caught in his throat from the sight. Talia's skin glowed from the light hitting the water and her eyes sparkled like the stars in the sky. But suddenly, he saw her wearing a gorgeous long white dress. The material seemed to be like cotton or silk, making the dress shiny. Sweet Ydinora….It was like she became the princess of the sea. And her voice, as sweet as honey, was luring him in. The temptation to hold her was strong and he didn't care that he wasn't trying to stop it. His eyes immediately went to her lips. They were glossy and were practically begging to be kissed. Loki slowly leaned his face down to Talia's without her noticing. "She said: 'Scars are marks left on a map to show where we have been. The encounters we faced have hurt, but they lead us to a greater path.' You have your share of scars but they mark the path to where you are now. And I find that to be—"

 _"Beautiful."_ As soon as she heard the word, Talia turned her head to the source. Her eyes widened to how close Loki's face is to hers. Her cheeks turned a rosy hue while she sputtered over her words. The outside world slowly vanished and the couple was suddenly surrounded by water. Schools of fish, sting rays, and turtles were gliding around without a care. The Xerin princess' heart pounded fast and hard, sounding like thunder in her ears. She looked into his green snake-like eyes and felt herself drowning in a trance. Without realizing it, she leaned her face into Loki's. Their foreheads touched and noses touched. Both pairs of lips were just mere inches from each other. Talia felt her eyelids get heavy and just immediately dropped them. Swallowing his nerves, Loki used his free hand and tipped Talia's chin upwards. He tilted his head and—

 _Grooowwwlll…_ Both parties were brought back to reality when they heard a stomach rumble. The organ grumbled again but this time, it demanded to be fed. Loki tried to figure out where the sound was. It wasn't his stomach that was upset. That's when both Loki and Talia realized that it was her stomach that interrupted the moment. She gasped in horror and smacked herself in the forehead. _Goddammit!_ The red-head snickered then just gave a hearty laugh. Talia was so ashamed of herself! She just had to be hungry now of all times?! Loki brought her into a hug to hide her face from both the public and herself. Although he was definitely upset that he missed his chance to kiss his princess, he was definitely entertained by his arch enemy. This woman is just full of surprises! He kissed her forehead to reassure her that everything was just fine.

"Come on princess. Let's get you something to eat for once."

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 **WASSUP BITCHES! I know it's been a while since I updated but this chapter was honestly a lot harder to finish than the previous ones. It was a challenge to actually describe an aquarium because some have complicated designs and it would take forever to fully describe exhibits and all the animals that are usually in the aquarium. Plus I've never actually been asked out and been on a real date before so there's that lol. I also replaced the currency to euros since well, the show is French. I did look up the snake and it was pretty interesting that a yellow snake I've always seen is called the Jamaican Boa. Also, I used the eel and the snake to kinda bring out a different side to Mephisto. And in a way, it's a form of symbolism. In the show, Mephisto's magic circle has the head of a cobra and he used an eel to try to harm the princesses in the episode about a lochness monster. Also I did want the two to try to at least open up a bit first? Of course I don't want them to reveal EVERYTHING because they still have to bond and everything xD. Also, I TURNED FUCKING TWENTY-ONE ON JANUARY 26TH! I went out and celebrated with my first legal shots lol. The first one I had was an apple-flavored Smirnoff straight and the second one was a pineapple upside-down shot. I was actually surprised that the first shot was a lot sweeter than the second one. But I did get tipsy from it and I gotta admit, I'm pretty damn lucky when I'm tipsy. I say that because my friends and I were playing an arcade version of Deal or No Deal and I legit won my friend the grand prize of five hundred tickets lmao. And I won two rounds of Mario Kart while my little brother won NOTHING xD. It was so much fun! And I can literally buy the booze whenever I want to. And I guess seeing the couple going around in the aquarium is also a gift for Valentine's Day tomorrow lol. I'm actually gonna try to finish up my Mortal Kombat story for it but we'll have to see. I just hope you guys enjoy this one! Let me know if I have any spelling or grammar errors in the reviews! Make sure you stay safe and stay warm Angels! Happy reading everyone! :D**


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